Walk A Little Straighter
by Shinigami709
Summary: Jou reflects back on his father's alcoholism. Some slight shonen ai. Any more would ruin the story. Song fic to Walk A Little Straighter (no kidding...)


Walk A Little Straighter  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!. If I did, Seto and Jou would be snogging senseless all the time. I also don't own Billy Currington's song called "Walk A Little Straighter". I heard this on the radio and thought it would be a good thing. I wonder why I keep beating on poor Jou. Oh well, enjoy the fic, read and review. Flamers will be fed to my Red-Eyes White Dragon (hehe.albino!!!).  
  
Note: ~is song lyrics~  
  
Pairings: slight Seto x Jou, nothing graphic.  
  
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~I remember looking up to him And I remember most the time he wasn't there. I'd be waiting at the door when he got home at night He'd pass me by to go pass out in his chair~  
  
17 Years ago:  
  
The little blonde boy came running to the door when his father's car pulled in the driveway. "Daddy's home!" he cried, overjoyed. Waiting for a few anxious moments before the door opened seemed unbearable to the eight year old. His babysitter stood behind the boy waiting to be paid for the day. The door opened and a tall blonde man came in.  
  
"Daddy!" the boy ran to his father and stretched his arms up to hug him. Quickly, the boy pulled away, revolted by the strong smell of alcohol that clung to his father.  
  
Shoving the sitter some money, the man stumbled to his chair. "Jounouchi, where's my drink? You know you're to have it ready when I get home."  
  
With a helpless glance, Jou got his father a Coors from the kitchen as his sitter left. Every night was the same. Jou running to the door, hoping his father would be sober, his father stumbling in the door past his son, and then if Jou were lucky his father would make supper before passing out in his chair. More often than not, Jou would make himself a peanut butter sandwich while his father slept off the alcohol.  
  
~And I'd say, "Walk a little straighter, Daddy You're swayin' side to side Your footsteps make me dizzy And no matter how I try I keep trippin' and stumblin' If you'd look down here you'd see. Walk a little straighter, Daddy You're leading me"~  
  
10 years ago:  
  
Now fifteen, Jou began trying to stop his father's excessive drinking. "Dad, please. Don't go to the bar tonight. Please? For one night I'd like to see you how you were before you and Mom broke up." Jou pleaded.  
  
His father glared at Jou. "Don't ever mention your mother again in front of me." Then, he slapped Jou hard. "And don't EVER tell me what I can and can not do." Slamming the door behind him, Jou's father left without another word.  
  
Jou sat down on the couch after getting a cold towel for his face. He picked up a picture of him and his father from long ago. With a silent prayer to any available gods, Jou packed an overnight bag and took off for Yugi's. He knew at least he wouldn't have to deal with his father tonight.  
  
Yugi knew that Jou's father was quickly becoming an aggressive alcoholic. Often when Jou knew things were rough, he'd stay at Yugi's house. There, he was safe. Occasionally on the weekends, Yugi's grandpa let all of the group come over. This created confusion in Jou. Mokuba would on rare occasions con his brother into join the group. On these special nights, Jou found himself wide awake studying the young CEO. It was during that year Jou started thinking about Kaiba in a new light.  
  
7 years ago:  
  
~He stumbled in the gym on graduation day And I couldn't help but feel ashamed. And I wasn't surprised a bit when he didn't stay,  
  
He stumbled out before they called my name.~  
  
It was a beautiful summer day. Jou and his friends were graduating, and he felt like this was the best day of his life, next to yesterday. Yesterday, Kaiba officially asked Jou out, much to the delight of everyone. Yami and Yugi had been together for a month, as had Bakura and Ryou. Honda and Anzu had been together for almost three months.  
  
Everyone was coming to the ceremony. Well, everyone except Jou's father. He said he was going to "rest up" for the night. Meaning that he was sleeping off last night's hang over so he could do it again.  
  
At the ceremony, Jou saw his father stumble in and lean against the wall of the gym. "Great," he thought. "He must have been drinking already." Jou gave a low groan and turned away from his father.  
  
~And I thought, "Walk a little straighter, Daddy You're swayin' side to side. It's not just me who's watching You've caught everybody's eye. And you're trippin' and stumblin' And even though I've turned eighteen, Walk a little straighter, Daddy  
  
You're still leading me.~  
  
Jou had told Seto everything about his father. Instantly recognizing why his blonde haired lover was upset, Seto grabbed Jou's hand and whispered not to worry. Watching as Jou's father staggered to the wall, Seto knew why Jou never wanted anyone to see his father.  
  
Thankfully Jou's father staggered back out after a few moments, unfortunately, it was just before they called Jou's name to accept his diploma. Knowing his father walked out before seeing his only son graduate was a harder slap than any physical ones the man ever inflicted on Jou. After the ceremony, Jou quickly left the gym and fled to the parking lot. Sitting on the curb, he put his head in his hands and cried.  
  
Present day:  
  
~The old man's still like he always was But I love him anyway If I've learned one thing from him It's my kids will never have to say.~  
  
"Hey Uncle Inu!!!" cried a small boy with spiky red and black hair.  
  
Jou looked at the blue-eyed man next to him, "You just HAD to tell him about the Inu thing, didn't you?"  
  
"Don't worry love, soon we're going to have two of our own to torment you." Said Kaiba as he laid his hand on the blonde's swollen stomach. A few months after graduation, Seto had proposed to Jou. The wedding was a year ago and was perfect. Now, through Kaiba Corp's technology, Jou was happily carrying Seto's twins. Yami and Yugi were the first to test it, hence the little one currently annoying Jou.  
  
"Uncle Inu, Uncle Seto." the young boy came over, staring at Seto. "When are my cousins coming? I'm bored."  
  
Seto picked the boy up and hugged him. "Can you wait two more weeks?" he asked the young Pharaoh-in-training (or spoiled-rotten-brat by Bakura's evaluation).  
  
"Yup, I sure can!" the youth exclaimed as he wiggled away from Seto to pester Mokuba.  
  
Looking into ice blue eyes, Jou asked Seto, "Your dragons are kicking. You want to feel?"  
  
Kneeling by Jou's chair, Seto kissed his husband's stomach twice. "If they're dragons, one better be a Blue-Eyes." The CEO teased knowing the fondness Jou still had for his Red-Eyes.  
  
Smiling, Jou closed his eyes and silently promised his sons that they would never grow up with a father like he had or like Seto had.  
  
~Walk a little straighter, Daddy You're swaying side to side. Your footsteps make me dizzy  
  
And no matter how I try  
  
I keep trippin' and stumblin' If you'd look down here you'd see. Walk a little straighter, Daddy You're leading me.  
  
Yeah, walk a little straighter, Daddy You're leading me.~  
  
This is in part to my dad. He's not an alcoholic or anything. I just want him to know that I look up to him and will always love him. Also, this is for Kitty, my (adopted) sis. I'm sorry if this is a little sad for you, but I still love you no matter what your past was.  
  
Anywho, read and review!! I appreciate reading them. 


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